Nocturne
by M.P-chan
Summary: Everyone knows Aoko has always hated Kaitou KID. But a certain turn of events, makes her see him in a new light. But what about Kaito? Kaito x Aoko x KID
1. Snowy Owl

The rating is T to be safe. So no one 12 or under, okay?

This fanfiction was created out of the desire to see more of its kind. There are plenty of fanfictions with the Kaito x Aoko pairing, but hardly any with Kaito x Aoko x KID pairing or the Aoko X KID pairing in general. I'd love reviews or constructive criticism, but this is my very first fanfiction so please be nice . . .

Disclaimer: I do not own Magic Kaito. Only this story. And my computer.

There are 4 things you will probably want to note:

I killed off Mrs. Nakamori (we never see her, so she's a pain to write.)

There is lots of background information, especially in the first few chapters (this is so people who have never read Magic Kaito will know what's going on. Not that anyone unfamiliar with the manga will ever read this, but just in case.)

I'm not the best writer. I will try my hardest to keep the characters true to who they are, but if no one reviews, I'll get depressed and stop writing. (So please, please review! Even if you hate it!)

I have no idea where this fanfiction is going, so I don't know how long it will be or how long the chapters will be. I only have a small idea of what happens until the middle of chapter 2 and then the rest is still blank in my mind, so I don't know how often I will be able to update.

**Chapter 1 – Snowy Owl**

~Scene 1 – 1:15 p.m. – Classroom During Lunch Break~

If things continued like this, she'd need a bigger mop.

Kaito was currently making the class's textbooks fly around and chase Watson, Hakuba-kun's pet hawk. Granted, it was lunch hour and things like this were normal, but still. Watson swooped around the room, tearing bits of pages here and there.

Kaito looked absolutely gleeful. She took the opportunity to swing her "weapon" at him. He ducked.

"Aoko, what's up? Can't you take a joke?"

She swung it again.

"Sure. But-"

Swing.

"-It's not a joke . . ."

Swing.

". . . It's animal cruelty!"

He let the mop hit him. "I'm not hurting the bird."

"You're teasing the poor thing. I'd call that cruel!"

Kaito sighed and snapped his fingers. The textbooks dropped to the floor. Watson pecked at them a few times before flying out the window to find her master.

"Killjoy." Kaito muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Kaito sat on his desk, legs swinging freely. "Aha! I know why you're such in a bad mood!" He leaned forward toward Aoko. "You're upset because Kaitou KID got away again."

"Of course! Who does that guy think he is, anyway? Prancing about, making fools of everyone. I can't stand him!"

Kaito flinched. She'd insulted his idol again. "Why? He's a master of his art, nothing more. He always returns what he steals."

"Exactly! He has no motive. He only does it for attention, not caring if anyone gets hurt. I can't count the number of times my dad and the other members of the task force were almost fired because of him! What about their families?"

Kaito sighed. They'd had this conversation every time there was a heist.

Aoko was still ranting. "And what about the people he steals from? KID returns everything he steals, but until when? Jewel owners live in fear that they'll be the first real victims. And he's greedy too! We got another notice last night after the heist. He'll strike tomorrow night. He's barely given them enough warning!"

No one was really paying attention. Hakuba-kun had come to see what the fuss had been about and was now busy trading insults with Kaito, while complaining about the treatment of his bird. Aoko sighed and returned to her desk as the teacher returned and began the lesson.

~Scene 2 – 9:45 p.m. – Aoko's Room~

"And then he – "

"Aoko," Keiko interrupted. She'd been out with a cold and had missed that day's antics, "I don't know why you get riled up. That's what he wants. He's only doing it to get your attention."

Aoko sighed. "If only. He's doing it for attention period. It doesn't have to be me. It could be anyone."

"Maybe. But your fights seem to be about one of two things: Kaito flipping your skirt or Kaitou KID. I don't know what to tell you about the skirt, but you can get rid of the KID problem." Keiko's voice sounded horrible.

'Poor girl,' thought Aoko, 'the fever's gone to her head.' "I don't see how that's possible. KID is practically my sworn enemy and Kaito worships the guy."

"Just don't talk about him." Keiko replied.

"Don't talk about him? Don't' talk about him?! Keiko, other than Kaito's constant pranks, he's the source of all my misery! How could I not talk about him?!"

Keiko sighed. "I didn't mean completely stop talking about him. Just stop talking about him around Kaito. If Kaito brings him up, ignore him. Eventually he'll get the hint, and KID won't be an issue for you two any more. Then you can worry about the sexual harassment."

Aoko thought about it. It wasn't that bad of an idea. It might even work. "Thank you, Keiko."

"You're welcome." Keiko sneezed. "Now can we hang up so I can get some sleep?"

Aoko laughed, "Sure," and hung up.

After getting ready for bed, she crept out of her room. She wanted to say goodnight to her dad but she wasn't sure if he was still awake. She saw him, hunched over, sitting at the kitchen table, sipping his alcohol. He sighed sadly and poured himself another glass.

"Goodnight Dad," she whispered.

As she climbed into bed and tried to fall asleep, she cursed Kaitou KID. One day, he'd fall.

~Scene 3 – The Next Day – Class~

Aoko was totally focused. Other than Kaito flipping her skirt, a crime she'd punished him with her mop for, there had been no fights, no arguments, no trouble. And she was determined to keep it that way.

Keiko was still out with her cold, but Aoko wanted to make her proud. Aoko hadn't mentioned KID once all day! Granted, part of that may have been Kaito's doing. He was probably trying harder than usual not to make her angry. Firstly, because it was heist day, a day that made her almost as irritable as post-heist day, and secondly, because he probably wasn't sure whether or not she'd gotten over yesterday. She hadn't, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing.

Today's class was Geometry; something about circles, or squares, or something along those lines. Aoko didn't care. She just made sure her hand never slowed, never stopped taking notes, regardless of whether or not the material registered in her brain.

"Psst." It was Kaito. Why wasn't she surprised?

A note landed in her lap. It was neatly folded in the form of a bird. She unfolded it. "You still sore about yesterday?" it said. "I already said I was sorry about Hakuba's stupid bird."

True. He had apologized. But he hadn't really seemed that sorry. She stubbornly scribbled on a piece of loose notebook paper and swore under her breath when the paper tore. She ripped out another piece and tired again. The paper didn't tear, but her handwriting was messy. She decided she didn't care.

"Call the 'stupid bird' by her name. It's Watson. And no, I'm not mad about that, it's-" she scribbled out "it's" and changed the comma into a period. She folded it and threw it onto his open textbook (which was torn on the edges from Watson's attacks).

In a flash, another note was in her lap. She felt self-conscious. Her clumsy folds were nothing like his elegant ones. This one was in the shape of a cat. "What? Is it Kaitou KID?"

She tore the note into little pieces that she threw into her pencil case. She just wasn't going to reply.

But the notes kept coming. They came in all shapes; dogs, hippos, bears, mice, dear, ducks. . . all about KID. She ignored them all.

He sent her a butterfly note. Its wings actually flapped as it flew to her and landed in her hand. It wasn't about KID. "There's something I think you should know . . ."

She blushed. Was it too much to hope for? "What?" she responded.

Another butterfly. "I liked your white panties more."

The bell rang and Aoko jumped out of her seat, mop in hand. That day, Kaito went home with more bruises than usual.

~Scene 4 – After Dinner – The Kitchen~

Her dad adjusted his tie as Aoko cleared the table and filled the sink with hot, soapy water.

"What time is the heist?" He was tense, she knew. She wanted him to relax before he went after Kaitou KID.

"10:45 p.m. The target is a piece of amber from the local museum. Not particularly expensive, but relatively large. We hope to catch him when he escapes. We've got 4 helicopters, tons of police cars, and officers at every traffic checkpoint. We also updated the museum's security system. But it might not be enough."

Aoko wished that Kaito was there. He was the only one who could get her dad out of a funk like this one.

The girls loved Kaito. Sure, he was pervert, but he was a charming pervert. People were naturally attracted to him, like bees to honey. Aoko knew he got it from his father.

Toichi Kuroba had been a world famous magician. The best in modern times, some had said. He died when Kaito was 9 in a stage accident. Kaito had inherited both his father's love for magic and his strong charisma.

Kaito and Aoko had first met when they were five, when he had moved in next door. Funnily, it had been at a KID heist. They had gotten along fairly well, surprisingly with all the constant arguments. Since the moment they had first met, they'd been best friends. Or as good as friends could be with the amount they fought. But it was never truly serious arguing.

They had gotten closer when they were nine. Shortly after Toichi died, Aoko's mother passed away from cancer. It had been a long and painful death. But Toichi had been there for her father. But then her father, Ginzo, lost both his wife and his best friend. He'd grown very protective of his daughter as a result.

Aoko didn't know what would have happened if Kaito hadn't been there. Kaito had always been cheerful and playful, but Aoko hadn't known how strong he could be as well. During the long, painful months following the tragedies, he had supported both his mother, and Aoko and her father. Aoko had never seen him cry.

Kaito often came over for dinner. It had helped fill the empty gap at first, but then it had become natural. He was a part of their family. Often, Aoko worried that Kaito coming over made his mother lonely. Mrs. Kuroba had never remarried, much like her dad, and the Kuroba household was big. But she was always telling Aoko that she didn't mind.

Mrs. Kuroba was a beautiful woman. Kaito looked incredibly similar to his dad, who'd been quite the looker, but Aoko thought it wouldn't have been bad if he had taken after his mother either.

Mrs. Kuroba had also always wanted a daughter. She was always helping Aoko out. Teaching her to cook, helping her with her homework, and telling her useful things she'd have been embarrassed to learn from her father. Needless to say, both Aoko and Ginzo had been endlessly grateful to have avoided _that_ conversation.

"Well, I'm off," called Ginzo. Aoko had just finished the dishes. She ran to the door and kissed his cheek.

"Good luck Dad."

"Thanks Aoko."

"Dad?"

"Hmm."

"Don't worry so much. It'll be fine. Hakuba-kun will be there."

He merely nodded and went out the door. She sighed and made a note to herself to tell Kaito to talk to her father.

~Scene 5 – 10:45 – Crowd at the Museum~

Aoko struggled to keep afloat the sea of Kaitou KID supporters with their banners and T-shirts and signs. Many, many people supported KID.

Aoko had gone to the heist without permission. She usually wasn't allowed to go. But she was still worried about her dad, even though part of her knew it was an unnecessary worry.

Kaitou KID had many names, though KID was the one he was most commonly referred to by. His "official" name was "Kaitou 1412." His first appeared in Paris 18 years ago. His heists had taken place all over the globe, and he had had the world in an uproar. Then 8 years ago, he'd simply vanished. Poof. He'd left everyone guessing. Two years ago, he'd reappeared making more trouble than ever, though his operations remained mostly in Japan.

KID's physical appearance and methods were even more puzzling. He dressed in a suit, cape, and top hat, all in blinding, pure white. He meant to stand out against the night, adding to the humiliation when he got away unscathed. He also wore his trademark monocle on his right eye.

KID's strategies were also unusual. He always sent the police a polite note letting them know when and where he'd appear and what his target was. The notes themselves were a sign of his genius; they were word puzzles, mind games, codes. Never what they seemed. They gave the task force headaches.

The reason why Kaito and Toichi had always been occasionally consulted as "extra help" was because they were both magicians. And so was KID.

The thief was a master of disguise. He could duplicate a person's face, body shape, voice, and personality to perfection. He used this to get close to his target. Then he revealed his true form, stole the item (always a jewel), and used stage magic to escape. And completely humiliate his pursuers.

Then, he'd returned the jewel, safe and sound. The time he kept the jewel varied, but it was never longer than a month. And the returned jewel was always real. No one could figure out his motives. Though one thing was for certain. Anyone who went to see a KID heist was guaranteed a show that put reality TV to shame.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the police car sirens sounded and the helicopter's searchlights scanned the sky. 50 feet directly above the museum, Aoko saw a tiny, white spec. The white dot changed into an arrow. Aoko knew that when KID sent an electrical current through his cape, the material stiffened and it was transformed into a hang glider, his trademark getaway trick.

Everyone knew KID would probably be caught if he was shot down. But Kaitou KID was a self-proclaimed pacifist. No one had ever been injured, let alone killed, on a KID heist. He had even taken a bullet for an officer on one of his more well known heists. And it had been agreed upon that KID would be caught in a humane, nonviolent way as a sign of appreciation. But that was where the friendliness between KID and the police ended.

Kaitou KID's hang glider dived and soared above the crowd, just inches above their heads. This only got him more cheers and shouts. Aoko was disgusted. She'd meet Kaitou KID several times, though never up close and she'd never said more than a few words to him, none friendly.

Despite Kaitou KID's claims to be a pacifist, he carried a gun. Granted, it didn't shoot bullets, but it did shoot paper-thin steel cards that could slice through solid concrete. They were painted as poker cards. KID never used them on people, but who was to say he never would?

And then he was gone. Kaitou KID had simply vanished in midair. Though Aoko knew, as the crowd knew, that he had disappeared into the crowd. He'd get away.

~Scene 6 – 12:00 a.m. – Nakamori Household~

He'd gotten away. Though they'd never admit it, Aoko and Ginzo had kind of expected it.

Ginzo lit another cigarette. He was a heavy smoker, always had been, and always smoked more than usual before, during, and after a heist.

Kaitou KID was his obsession. He'd been chasing KID ever since he first appeared those 18 long yeas ago. His enthusiasm and effort had quickly made him head of the Kaitou KID task force, a position he continued to hold.

It was another reason why she hated KID, the most important reason. When they had lost her mother and Toichi, they had lost KID too. The result was that Ginzo had had hardly the will to get up in the morning and eat regular meals for the many months following.

He had almost drunk and smoked himself into an early grave. Aoko had lived in constant fear that her father would die and leave her all alone. She hadn't blamed Toichi's death. She hadn't blamed for mother's disease.

She had blamed Kaitou KID.

~Scene 7 – 12:40 a.m. – Aoko's Room~

The howling wind was horrible. It caused the branches of the tree in her backyard to rub against her window making a sound not unlike nails on chalkboard.

Aoko had the pillow over her head, but it didn't do any good. She threw the covers back and stomped over to the window. It was too cold to have it open, but she'd do just about anything to stop that evil screeching.

As she opened the window, a gust of icy wind blew in. She shivered and glanced up at the starry sky. She thought she saw a falling star. She leaned out, she saw that it wasn't a star. It was some kind of . . . bird?

Aoko put one knee on the windowsill, steadying her self with her hand gripping the edges of the frame. The bird appeared as if it would land in her open yard.

Suddenly, her hands slipped and she felt herself falling. If she hadn't had the expectation of landing head first with a broken neck, she would have enjoyed it. But a moment later she wasn't falling.

Aoko cracked open one eye. She found herself in the arms of a man dressed all in white. The bright moon's glare kept her from seeing his facial features clearly, but she did notice his monocle, its glass as brilliant and reflecting as a mirror.

He gently set her down. "What are you doing out so late, Nakamori-san?"

~End of Chapter 1 – Snowy Owl~


	2. Golden Egg

Author's Note:

Nocturne – a nocturne (from the French for "nocturnal") is usually a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night – definition from Wikipedia

The reason I chose this title was because it reminded me of the scene from Romeo and Juliet that was one of the major influences for me writing this (Act 3, Scene 2). In case you aren't in high school, skip English class a lot, or for some strange, unfathomable reason your high school doesn't require you to read Romeo and Juliet, the scene begins with Juliet impatiently awaiting the darkness of night so her lover (Romeo) can sneak into her room and. . . yeah. . .

Anyway, it stood out to me because KID (at least from what I've seen) seems to only appear at night. On another note, one of the other titles I was thinking about was Under the Sun. I still might use it as a chapter title or something.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kaito and co. I wish, as we all sometimes do, that I did. Because then there would a whole lot more than just 4 volumes.

Chapter 2 – Golden Egg

Scene 1 – 12:40 a.m. – Nakamori Household's Backyard

Aoko could only stare up at him in wonder. Where had he come from? Why was he here? She hadn't heard him. Dressed all in white, he eerily resembled an apparition, a ghost.

"Why. . .?" the words wouldn't come.

He laughed. It was neither cold nor warm. He laughed merely at the irony. "If you plan to kill yourself, you shouldn't do it right in front of me."

She blushed, embarrassed. It probably _had_ looked like that. And of all the people to misunderstand. . .

Aoko slapped him. He hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, she owed him for saving her life. But she couldn't stop herself.

He caught her hand before it hit his cheek, bringing it to his lips as he set her down.

She pulled it away. "I wasn't trying to kill myself. I was-" she stopped.

"Was. . . ?" his voice was both amused and curious.

Despite the bright moonlight, she hoped the darkness hid her mortified expression. "A bird. It was a bird, and I wanted a closer look. And I fell."

"I saw that."

She glared.

"A bird, you say?"

"Yes. A big, white one."

He shielded his eyes with his hand as he scanned the sky. "I don't see any-"

They noticed his hang glider lying uselessly next to them.

Kaitou KID tried very hard not to laugh.

She stomped her foot. "It isn't funny!"

That did it. He bust into laughter.

"Since it's your fault I fell, I don't have to thank you." She turned and tried to climb back up the tree to her window.

"I didn't expect you to, Nakamori-san."

He held his hand out in an offer to help, but she swatted it away. The day she took his help was the day pigs could fly.

After several embarrassing tries and fails to climb the tree, she succeeded. KID stood there amused.

She glared down at him from her window. "You have five minutes to get out of here. That's how long it will take me to wake my dad and get him done there. If you know what's good for you, you'll be long gone by then."

She didn't know why she was warning him. Maybe this was her way of saying thanks. So she wouldn't owe him anything.

Five minutes later, when she looked out her window, he was gone, as quietly as he had come. His glider was nowhere in sight.

It had been a bluff really. Her dad had had a stressful night, no thanks to KID, and she wouldn't have woken him up from his well-deserved rest for the world.

This time, when she went to sleep, she had no trouble at all. Just dreams of birds.

Scene 2 – 8:00 a.m. – Nakamori Household

When she woke up, Aoko was pretty sure her meeting with KID had been nothing more than a nightmare. Or at least, she'd been hoping it had only been a nightmare. But no such luck. Her hand still had marks from the rough tree bark from when she'd climbed back into her room.

Getting ready for school, she decided to cut off the twigs that had kept scratching against her windows. Aoko retrieved her scissors and started to clip away at the branches.

In the morning dew, she saw a gold sparkle in the grass that caught her eye. Aoko realized what she thought it was and rushed down the stairs and out the door, almost knocking her father over. Aoko mumbled an apology, distracted.

Fumbling along the wet grass, she realized she had forgotten to put on her shoes. Her socks would be soaked. She sighed and continued searching.

Aoko was about to give up when she tripped and fell. She had tripped over a large rock. She picked it up and was about to throw it across the yard in frustration (the fall had drenched the front of her uniform and now she'd have to completely change), when she noticed it wasn't an ordinary rock.

It was the size and shape of an ostrich egg. It was the amber piece that Kaitou KID had stolen the night before from the museum. He must have dropped it when he'd saved her.

Aoko stared at the "egg". Lord knew how much it cost. Her dad had said it wasn't particularly expensive, but it had to be worth _something_ if KID had gone out of his way to steal it. But then again, KID wasn't an ordinary thief.

What Aoko did next, she blamed on momentary insanity. She _should_ have gone straight to her dad with the jewel, had it returned to the museum. But she didn't. Aoko walked to the front yard and being careful no one saw her, she hid it in the flowerbed.

She went back inside and sat down at the kitchen table to eat breakfast with her dad (he had cooked. They had a system. Aoko made dinner and Ginzo made breakfast.)

Ginzo looked at her curiously the entire time she ate her eggs and bacon as she fought with the guilt. She wasn't keeping the jewel after all. If Aoko gave it to her dad, KID would just try to steal it again. This way she would meet KID face to face again. He was sure to come after it, and she could take the chance to catch him off guard. After all, he didn't know she had it, just that it was probably at her house.

Maybe she could use the amber as leverage . . . make him turn himself in. Doubtful, but she had to get _something_ out of it. Maybe she could blackmail him into giving up thievery. The possibilities were endless.

Aoko continued to think as she went upstairs and changed. She smiled as she walked out the front door on her way to school. It was all right. She was using her golden egg for a _good_ cause.

Scene 3 – 1st Period – Study Hall

When Aoko entered the classroom that morning, a shiver ran down her spine. She could feel eyes boring into the back of her head. At the sound of his voice, she jumped.

"Morning." Kaito yawned loudly and walked past her, taking a seat at his desk. He rested his chin on his folded arms, covering most of the desk. Kaito's eyes never moved from her.

Aoko was shaken. This was _not_ typical Kaito behavior. He should be cheerful and loud, playing pranks and boasting about his hero's latest adventure. But his Kaito was tired, quiet and watchful. Hmm.

Aoko sauntered over to him. He looked up at her and she stared at him. Suddenly, her hands reached out and grabbed his cheeks in a tight pinch.

He winced and brushed her hands away. "What are you doing?" Aoko continued to stare. His cheeks became the ever slightest shade of red.

Bonk!

Aoko had pulled out her Mop of Doom ™ out of thin air and struck him behind the head.

He stood up out of his chair, angry. "What'd you do that for?!"

Aoko broke down laughing. It was a once in a lifetime even, the visibly irritated Kaito who's lost his cool.

Her laughter evaporated his anger and he joined her. When they returned to their seats, he pulled out the morning's paper.

"Look, KID got away again. This time he hypnotized the police into letting him escape using a screwdriver, a piece of cardboard, and some chewing gum. Isn't he great? The trick is-"

"Kaito," Aoko interrupted. "Kaito, I need to talk to you about something important."

"What? You finally realized you're madly in love with me?"

She blushed furiously. "No! Not me! It's my dad!"

"Your dad is madly in love with me?"

"NO!!" her grip on her Mop tightened. "I need you to talk to him-"

"I'll say. He's much too old for me."

"KAITO!!"

He gulped and glanced nervously at the Mop she had above her head, ready to swing.

"I need you," she said through gritted teeth, "to talk to my dad. Lately he's been getting depressed about you-know-who!"

"Voldemort?"

She swung. And hit. Kaito was quiet.

She started to stomp off, but Kaito grabbed her arm. He was rubbing a raised bump on the back of his head, courtesy of the Mop.

"I got it. Your dad has been stressed lately due to – his job, and you want me to check up on him. I'll come over this afternoon."

She sighed, relieved. Her dad would be alright once Kaito talked to him.

"Kaito, thank you-" she cut off when she saw he was gone.

"White? I didn't know you took requests!" came his voice from below. His remark had been about her panties, of course, which he was no looking up at.

"DIE!"

Aoko kicked him as hard as she could, but missed as he rolled from the side. But Kaito didn't escape the pain that came from her Mop afterword.

Scene 4 – After School – Nakamori Household

Kaito and Aoko sat at the table doing homework since her dad wasn't home yet. Kaito had long since finished his work and was helping Aoko with hers.

One of the things she hated about Kaito was that he was almost perfect. He was charming, smart, funny, sweet when he wanted to be, good looking, talented, athletic . . . the list went on and on. And he didn't have to try. Aoko got good grades and did well enough sports and looks, but she gave everything her all and still couldn't catch up to him. It always bugged the heck out of her.

"Kaito," she said, putting her pencil down, "I was wondering. Where was Hakuba-kun? He wasn't in school today. Did you do something to him?"

"I wish."

She glared at him, but he didn't notice. He was checking her worksheets for mistakes.

"He and his bird left for England this morning. They'll be back next week."

Saguru Hakuba was their classmate. He had already made a name for himself as a high school detective and had solved more than 500 cases.

His father was a famous policeman there in Japan, and his mother lived in England. They were divorced, so Hakuba lived half the time in Japan and the other half in England.

Like her father, Hakuba had developed an obsession with catching KID and often worked in cooperation with the Kaitou KID taskforce.

Needless to say, he and Kaito didn't get along very well. Kaito thought of Hakuba as the snobby Holmes-wannabe who was trying to put his idol behind bars. Aoko wasn't sure what Hakuba's problem with Kaito was _exactly_ but she didn't blame him. She couldn't remember a single day when she herself hadn't yelled at Kaito for _something_.

Aoko and Hakuba were good friends. He had asked her out a few times and they had met up a lot, but the relationship was strictly platonic. Hakuba was handsome and classy, and girls flocked to him almost as much as they did to Kaito. She was sure he would have made an excellent boyfriend, but she couldn't bring herself to feel that way about him. Which perfectly suited her father.

Ginzo recognized Saguru's talent and potential, but that didn't mean he had to like him. After all, in the long run, they were rivals, both after the prize called Kaitou KID. Still, Ginzo had a sense of justice that took priority over his pride, and Aoko knew Saguru's presence helped her father state of mind during heists.

Now if only she could get Kaito and Hakuba to be friends . . .

"It's too bad he'll be gone a whole week," she forced a sigh, and checked his expression. It was incredulous.

"A week and two days. And not long enough. I'm glad he's gone." He seemed to be testing her back.

"Don't say that. I know you like him."

He looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "No, I don't!"

"Admit it. Without him here you'd be bored."

"He _is_ fun to tease. But as long as you're around, I'll never be bored."

She wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.

They heard the front door open and close.

"I'm home," called her father from the entryway as he removed his shoes.

"Welcome home, Dad."

"Welcome home, Inspector Nakamori."

"Kaito? You're here?" He seemed pleased. Aoko was glad. Making Kaito come had been the right decision after all.

"Yep. He's helping me with my homework. Wait here, Kaito. I'll go find that textbook. It might take awhile so make yourself at home." She paused to give her dad a "welcome home" hug on her way out.

While they were busy talking, she'd relocate the egg. She hoped they wouldn't notice she'd left the house instead of going up to her room.

Aoko knew it wouldn't bother Kaito. He knew it was just an excuse so he could talk to her dad alone, but she _was_ worried about her father. He might not appreciate the favor. After all, he was always telling her _not_ to worry about him. But he seemed distracted enough by Kaito not to notice..

She found the egg amoungst the flowers just where she'd left it. Aoko knew it wasn't safe at the Nakamori household. Once Kaitou KID knew she had it, that'd be the first place he'd look for it. But where would he never think to check?

A sudden jolt of inspiration hit her. Of course! Kaito's house! KID wouldn't think she'd hide it there!

She went next door and rang the doorbell. While she waited for Mrs. Kuroba to answer, she made sure that the egg was hidden carefully in her backpack.

Mrs. Kuroba opened the door. She'd been busy making dinner if her apron was any indication. Kaito's mother's curious face lit up when she saw Aoko. "Aoko! How are you? I though Kaito was over at your house . . ."

"Yep," she admitted shyly, "I had him come over so he could talk to my dad. He's gotten really upset over KID lately. I didn't want to get in the way, so I was wondering if I could come over for a little bit while they were talking . . ." Aoko knew Mrs. Kuroba wouldn't mind, but she always got tongue-tied around the beautiful lady.

"Sure. Come on in." She led Aoko into the living room, and Aoko took a seat. "Would you like something to drink? Tea, maybe?"

"Sure. Tea sounds fine."

"I'll be back with it in just a few minute." Mrs. Kuroba turned and left for the kitchen.

Aoko started to breathe. She hadn't realized that had been holding her breath. She had to hurry. She only had about five minutes before Mrs. Kuroba came back. Aoko stood and crossed the room to the back door.

Outside, in the garden, was a small pond with large, round stones the same size and shape as the amber. As long as no one noticed there was a gold rock made from petrified tree sap that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, she was safe. Aoko was lucky the Kurobas almost never ventured out into their neglected yard.

She unzipped her backpack and tried to lift it with both hands. It was almost too heavy. How had she lifted it before? How'd she carried it over here?

She groaned and rolled it out of her backpack and into the pond. It landed with an ungraceful plop.

"Aoko?"

Aoko spun around, startled. Mrs. Kuroba looked at her, confused, from the doorway.

"Oh. Mrs. Kuroba. I'll be right in."

"Okay . . . I though I heard a strange sound."

"That was just a . . ." Aoko racked her brain for any excuse to give her, "a . . . a bird." She silently cursed herself. The excuse brought a certain, detestable kaitou to mind; along with the exchange they'd had the night before and the one they'd surely have tonight.

"I hope tea is green tea is okay with you. We're out of oolong."

Aoko nodded. "I like green tea."

"So," started Kaito's mom as they sat down at the table, back in the living room, "has Kaito been driving you crazy?"

Aoko laughed. "Isn't he always? No more than usual, I suppose. The only real problem is that he can't stop talking about Kaitou KID." 'And feel the same way about me that I feel about him.'

Mrs. Kuroba took another sip of tea thinking, as Aoko knew she was, of a way to explain Kaito's way of thinking in simple words. "Kaito . . . he is very . . . vain."

"Vain?" Aoko echoed.

"Yes, vain. He thinks very high of himself and even more of his and my late husband's profession. Seeing KID, another magician, do so well, cannot help but boost his pride. When KID looks good, Kaito feels it reflects well on all magicians, including himself."

"That's stupid!" Stupid Kaito.

"Yes, but he wants to look good. Especially in front of you."

Aoko blushed deeply. "Mrs. Kuroba! You know how I feel! Don't get my hopes up. I know how Kaito feels about me . . .But it's okay. I don't expect anything from him anymore."

Mrs. Kuroba took one, last sip from her cup and took Aoko's empty one. "Fine. Don't believe me. But mark my words, that boy will come running when he thinks he'll really lose you."

Aoko sighed. Kaito's mom was very wise, but she didn't seem to realize that things would never work between Kaito and Aoko, no matter what they hoped.

After putting their cups in the kitchen, Mrs. Kuroba led Aoko to the door. "Tell Kaito to come home soon. Dinner's almost ready."

"Will do."

Aoko thought about Mrs. Kuroba's words as she crossed their yards to her house. What if she was right? She banished the thought. Aoko had long decided to give up on Kaito. He was never going to change, and she didn't have the patience or the strength to wait for him to get a clue.

"I'm home," she called out.

There was no answer. She looked in the kitchen but it was empty. She listened. Aoko could hear voices coming from behind a closed door. Odd. It was an extra room that they never used.

Aoko slowly walked over and put her ear to the door.

"I'm serious when I'm asking you to watch her. I've got a bad feeling . . ." came her father's voice. What were they talking about?

"Inspector Nakamori! You're looking into it too much. She'll be fine. Aoko's a strong girl." That voice belonged to Kaito.

"Maybe not strong enough. Who knows what could happen. Have you read the paper lately? Any one of those victims could have been Aoko."

Aoko mentally sighed. Her dad's overactive imagination was at its worst again.

"Nakamori," Kaito's voice had lost its usual traces of cheer. Aoko had never heard him so serious. "I won't let that happen. I'll protect her no matter the costs."

She'd never admit it, but Kaito's vow made her heart go aflutter in her chest. She waited for it to pass, it didn't. She scolded herself. Aoko didn't need Kaito. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

He father spoke, "Thank you. That's all a father ever wants, reassurance that his little girl will be safe. Even when he's not there."

There was a stretch of silence before Kaito began to speak, his voice his again. "Anyway, there was a –"

Aoko had heard enough. She knocked on the door. Kaito answered.

"Couldn't find the book. I went over to your house to have tea with your mother. She says it's time for you to come home."

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Aoko."

"Kaito," Ginzo called after him.

"Don't worry, Inspector Nakamori. I have every intention of keeping my word."

"Good."

As Kaito walked past Aoko to leave, he put his hand in hers, handing her a note in a way her father couldn't see. They watched him leave.

"Dad, I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's order takeout."

Scene 5 – Sunset – Aoko's Room

Aoko groaned when she saw the time on the digital clock. Curse the summer. It took forever for night to come.

She knew KID would wait until it was completely dark to come. That being the case, she wondered what he would wear. Surely not his trademark white suit, in it he could be seen for miles, not something he would want if he didn't want to catch the attention her father.

Aoko looked out her window. The sun had set, but the sky was still light. She groaned again.

She couldn't stop thinking about the white-clad thief. She'd finally have him under lock and key. She'd giggled. Finally, he'd be gone!

To pass the time, she read the newspaper. In the last couple months, crime had been at an all-time high. It seemed you could never go anywhere or do anything without getting murdered. Fortunately for the victims, their killers didn't get to bathe in glory for very long. A famous local detective, Sleeping Kogoro, seemed to see ALL the cases, and solved ALL of them. Aoko was impressed. Maybe Hakuba could learn a thing or two from this Mouri-san.

KID still wasn't there so Aoko checked her email. Then surfed the web for a bit. Then turned on the radio for a bit, B'z tunes filling the air. Then she checked her homework, covered in Kaito's corrections. And then she played solitaire. Yes, solitaire. And that damn thief still wasn't there!

Suddenly a gust of wind blew through her open window, scattering the playing cards into the air.

A single card slowly floated down in front of her. Aoko held her hand out and it landed on her hand, facedown. It couldn't be . . . She turned the card cover.

The ace of spades.

Aoko sprinted to the window, stumbling on fallen cards. A man dressed all in white with a top hat and monocle was in her yard. He was down on one knee, searching through the grass with his gloved hands.

Aoko's heart leapt in her chest. For some reason, she got a really bad feeling. If she went down there, there would be no turning back.

She took a deep breath and jumped. And just as she had the night before, she felt his strong arms catch and hold her. She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"You're late."

"You were expecting me?"

"Yes. I knew you'd come back for your golden egg."

"'Golden Egg?' Oh, you mean the amber. Yes, it seems I dropped it. I know you're excited to see me but there are safer ways than jumping out a second story window."

She made a face. "I knew you'd catch me. And I figured you'd want to know what I'd done to your egg."

His gentleman's smile widened and he whistled. "You took it? The inspector's daughter took off with a 700,000-yen jewel? Congrats!"

Aoko glared. "I didn't steal it! If I left it, you'd take it!" She had him put her down. She hadn't realized he had still been holding her. Stupid KID. "I wanted to talk to you."

KID tipped his hat and half-bowed. "I'm here, Princess."

Princess? Where had she heard that before? "You want the jewel, right?"

"Obviously."

She ignored him. "I have the jewel. You can look all night if you want, but you'll never find it."

"Oh?"

"Even you can read minds, Kaitou."

He paused, and she thought she saw a flicker of shock, though it only lasted a short moment. Was he that confident in his abilities? The pig.

"If you want the amber, I'll give it to you."

"Really? That would be much appreciated."

She glared again.

"Careful, your face might get stuck like that."

She swung at him, only to realize she did have her Mop. The inertia caused her to stumble forward into KID. He caught her, of course, but her face was flushed with embarrassment. This time she didn't back out of his arms. It was easier to talk if she couldn't see his face.

"Like I said," she started, trying to control her voice, "I'll give it to you. But on one condition."

"Of course."

"I want you to stop being a Kaitou. You don't have to turn yourself in. Just disappear."

"Do you hate me that much?" His voice was full of mock-hurt.

"Yes." Her answer was automatic, no hesitation or sympathy.

"Why? This isn't just some inflated sense of justice, is it? You genuinely hate me."

"Yes." Again, blunt.

"Why?" His voice, deep and soft, was serious. He was genuinely curious.

"That doesn't matter. Will you disappear for the jewel?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. If the amber is what I'm looking for, you'll have a deal. If not, then I'll return it."

"And you won't quit?"

Yes."

"Do you _have_ to find what you're looking for? Is it that important?"

"Yes."

Aoko started to shake with anger. "What could be so important?!" She half-yelled it.

"I can't say."

"But you won't get the amber."

"I might. I could always send the inspector a note. Tell him his daughter was keeping the jewel for herself."

He had her there. Her dad would understand her reasons, but it was inexcusable that she hadn't handed the jewel over to the police immediately. But she wasn't beat.

"Okay, you have that, but I still have the jewel. It's someplace even I can't get it. It's safe."

He held his hands up in surrender. "What do you propose?"

Aoko thought. The egg wasn't enough. She needed something else, something more important to him, to use as a trade. But what? She knew nothing about this man.

"Here's what we'll do. We'll meet three times a week for three months. The goal is to learn enough about the other person to give yourself the advantage. When time's up we'll renegotiate."

"Do you think you'll be able to stand _that_ much time with me?" You _do_ hate me after all."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "Sure. It's all to make you can vanish."

He took a step back so he could look in her eyes. They stared defiantly back at him.

"You can't buy time. I'll still steal, deal or no."

His gloved hand held her chin, so she had to look at his face. His monocle and masked expression unnerved her. It seemed KID was a man no one could know. Aoko hated how he could be friendly and push people way at the same time.

She kept herself from looking at him too closely, to avoid the . . . feeling he gave her. Could it be . . . fear?

"I didn't expect you to stop. My dad will still stop you." But Aoko secretly felt that the last part was untrue. KID would never be caught. Or rather, he _couldn't_ be caught.

KID let go of her chin and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Don't say it that way. When you lose your faith in him, _that's_ when he truly can't win."

Aoko might have understood what he said if she hadn't been so distracted by the warmth of his breath on her skin.

"Today's Thursday. We'll meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. I'll come the night after tomorrow around 10 o'clock, so expect me around then. Goodnight, Princess."

Aoko closed her eyes. A few seconds later, she opened them to nothing but air. Kaitou KID was gone.

She swore. Soft laughter filled the air for a moment and then was gone. Aoko went around to the side door and let herself inside. This time she had come prepared and had remembered to bring her house key.

As Aoko drifted into sleep, she yelled at herself mentally for getting distracted by KID like that. It wouldn't happen again.

Before her eyes closed for the final time that night, she saw the note Kaito had given to her, lying nest to her unopened. It was in the shape of a heart.

"Kaito . . ."

End of Chapter 2 – Golden Egg

Author's Notes:

Scene 1 - The reason Aoko climbed up the tree to get into the house instead of just going through the front door in Scene 1 was because she didn't have her house keys. KID could've gotten her inside but she didn't want to ask him for help. And he was having way too much fun watching her panic.

Scene 3 - In scene three, Kaito acts weird. But the problem is that the story is from Aoko's POV so I'm not sure how to portray Kaito in a way that doesn't give too much away to Aoko.

Scene 2 and 4 – These were a pain the ass to write. Nothing really happens, and yet it's important to the plot. Aoko might be a little out of character, taking off with the egg and being so clumsy but it was really important. So please bare with it! Also, Mrs. Kuroba made her debut. She might show up again.

Scene 5 – Kogoro was mentioned! I wasn't planning on putting DC characters in, but somehow he ended up there. It felt right to mention how their worlds are connected. Conan and Ran might even get mentioned. Heck, they might even show up! But don't expect to hear from them anytime soon.

Also, B'z (my current JRock obsession) is put in for fun. B'z and Emilie Autumn are my two big musical muses for this fic. I might even add lyric-quotes if they feel right. (I have no idea where this fic is going anymore. I'm making it up as I go along. XD)

Though the part with the cards was completely planned and intentional! So was the part were she said, "I want you to stop being a Kaitou." Sound familiar to anyone? I was quoting a fairly well known Kaitou series! Also, KID pauses because he thought Aoko might have figured it out. Kaito and Kaitou sound so similar . . .

Also, I wanted to thank my six reviewers for taking their time to review!

nataeiy1 () - You were my first reviewer! Thank you so much! And for reviewing within the first hour it was on the net!

xShinran () – Thank you so much for everything! You were the first to read it, and without your encouragement I never would have had the guts to get an account and post it!

66ButterflyOfDarkness99 () – When I read your review, my jaw almost dropped to the floor. I had just responded in a forum, What Do You Want the Most Right Now, and I said, "a cookie." (seriously) Thank you for granting my wish and your wonderful review!

ShinichixRan (tanteirealm) – Thank you too! You were my first reviewer on tanteirealm and your comment really helped me with the editing on the final version for ch. 1 (the one on ) Thanks a lot!

Chocolaty Taste / kirite (/tanteirealm) – thank you! You reviewed not once, but twice! I'm a Aoko x KID shipper myself! helps wave banner

Naruto686 – Thank you for your review! It's really encouraging! You are the first and only person to review so far on ConanTantei, so thank you even more!

Other News:

I have a poll on my account (username: M.P-chan). It's on who people want Aoko to end up with. So please vote!

It seems that my only decent writing comes when I'm either sleep deprived or really, really tired. So I write late at night (anytime after 9 p.m.). But I can't not sleep, so this leaves me at about 1 scene per day. I'll probably (probably is the key word) average about 6 scenes per chapter. At this rate I'll only be able to update every week, if I'm lucky. Cause then I have to type it, edit it, rewrite parts that are really bad, and then recheck for typos. So if you don't see any updates, I didn't drop the story (not yet anyway), it's just taking a little bit longer than planned.


	3. Fortunes, Part 1

M.P-chan – It's been over a year since my last update! And my last chapter said it would be a week . . . I apologize! I doubt I'll ever take that long writing a chapter for this series ever again. So much has happened over the last year, and I'm hoping that by writing all the oneshots I've published since last time will have improved my writing and will make for a better Nocturne!

Again, I'm really sorry it took so long to update, but I have no intention of quitting Nocturne and plan on writing it to its end, so please give me your support!

To new readers, welcome, and old readers, welcome back! This isn't actually all of chapter 3. So even after a year, I'm still not done? Don't worry! I meant it when I said it should be done soon on my profile. This update is scene 1-3 of six, and I'll have the final three scenes updates shortly. So on to the chapter!

Nocturne – Chapter 3 – Fortunes

~Scene 1 – Mid-Morning – Gym Class ~

That morning, Aoko was happy to discover that Keiko had made a full recovery and was back in school. Originally she had planned to keep her dealings with Kaitou KID to herself, but after seeing her friend again, she'd had the nearly uncontrollable urge to make a full confession.

She couldn't help herself. She had to tell _someone_. And the only ones she could trust not to tell her dad were Kaito and Keiko, and she'd already decided that KID was taboo subject with Kaito. This resulted in Aoko dragging Keiko aside during gym, while they were waiting in line for the long jump, and spilling everything since the KID heist two day earlier.

"Wow," said Keiko with wide eyes, "I can't believe you did that. You could get arrested."

A sudden dread filled Aoko. Opps. She hadn't thought about that. She knew she'd be in trouble with her dad if he ever found out, but she hadn't considered being in trouble with the law. Aoko blushed, ashamed. "I know . . . I wasn't thinking! All I could think about was catching KID once and for all . . ."

Keiko gave her friend a pat on the back, "Hey, don't worry so much. Your dad will understand when the time comes. And he and Hakuba-kun wouldn't let you go to jail. Besides, there won't be any reason to worry if you catch him."

Great. Like she need something _else_ to add to her list of reasons not screw this up. But still, Keiko had made her feel a little better. Aoko gave her a small smile.

"So . . . What's he like? " Keiko asked as they watched another girl tumble and mess up her landing.

If only she knew. It'd probably make it a lot easier to catch him. "He's like the stories say; a gentleman and a jester. Charming and classy, but mischievous and arrogant. I don't really think anything of him, other than that he's a stupid thief."

Aoko's mind momentarily wondered and she remembered how distracted that same "stupid thief" had made her. Keiko thought she saw something in Aoko's expression.

"When do you meet him again?"

Aoko stared at her hands. "Tomorrow night. Around 10."

"You can't go see him unprepared! He knows your name, your address, your family. It wouldn't be hard to look into your school, friends, health records, and personal documents. Not for a thief as skilled as him, anyway. And you have nothing! Literally nothing! You'll need _something_ to help you out, or you'll have no chance of winning. What with you being attracted to him and all . . ."

Aoko blushed redder than a fire engine. "I AM NOT ATTRACTED TO KAITOU KID!!!"

Her yelling bought the attention of the entire class, including the teacher and the boys' class. She couldn't see him from where she was, but she was willing to bet Kaito had heard (he had) and was trying not to laugh (he was).

Aoko blinked and blushed redder (was that even possible?), "Umm . . . Look, a UFO!"

Everyone turned to look and Aoko took advantage of the distraction to grab Keiko's hand and run. She would probably get detention for leaving class, but she didn't care. She seemed to breaking all the rules these days.

When the girls caught their breath, Keiko said, "Look, I don't see what the big deal is. Of course you're attracted to him. No woman alive who has met him isn't attracted to him. He's charming, mysterious, you're not allowed to like him, which makes him all the more attractive, and he's an older man."

Keiko was right, of course. Aoko didn't doubt that there wasn't a woman was safe from him once she'd caught his eye. But it was still stupid. Kaitou KID was at least 30, and Aoko was 17. He wasn't interested in her. The very thought that she could possibly like him in _that_ way should repulse her! But it didn't. Instead, it made her irritated and defensive.

Aoko glared as effectively as she could under the circumstances. "I am _not_ attracted to Kaitou KID. He's a dirty thief, a criminal. He deserves to be safely put behind bars."

Keiko rolled her eyes, "I said you're attracted to him, not that you thought he was a swell guy. Anyway, as I was saying, you can't just rush in. You should talk to Koizumi-san and have her tell you KID's fortune. She's really good, and her fortunes are always accurate. You might be able to find out something useful."

"You're right! I should've thought of that." Aoko laughed. Akako-chan would be able to help. "Anyway, why _are_ you giving advise. You're a Kaitou KID fan."

"Oh . . . Well," Keiko blushed, "if you catch him, I might get to meet him!" Aoko shook her head. "Come on, we'll be late for class." And then they headed inside.

~Scene 2 – Free Period – School ~

Aoko turned up the volume on her walkie-talkie. "Keiko, you there? – over – "

"Yeah, but one question. – over – "

"Sure, go head. – over – "

"Why are we talking through walkie-talkies when we're standing right next to each other? – over – "

"For atmosphere, of course. – over –"

"Don't you think it's kind of going overboard? – over – "

"Don't be such a kill-joy. – over – "

The girls watched as their target, a certain Kaito Kuroba, approached.

"Hey Aoko, whatcha up to?"

"Keiko?" murmured Aoko, not turning from her prey.

"On it," confirmed Keiko as she moved forward to meet Kaito. "Kuroba-kun? Can you give me a hand for a sec? Aoko was telling me about how you helped her with yesterday's homework and I was wondering if you could take a look at mine?"

Kaito blinked, confused. Keiko-chan had never asked him for help with Math before. "Sure. Let me get it." Kaito turned around and sat back at his desk, pulling out his assignment. Aoko and Keiko followed.

"Well, you see, you carry the two over here and –" Kaito's explanation was cut off by a soft _click_. He looked down. Aoko had handcuffed him to his desk. "Aoko?!" he managed, startled, as she finished the job by tying him down with several lengths of rope (don't ask how she'd gotten it).

"Here, if he tries anything, make him look at these," Aoko handed Keiko a photo album. Full of fish.

"Now, be a good boy for Auntie Keiko," said Aoko cheerily as she patted Kaito, who was chalk-white with terror (he had seen the album before), on the head and left the room, deaf to the horrified screams of her childhood friend . . .

Keiko would keep Kaito preoccupied while Aoko was talking to Akako-chan. She didn't want him to know about her meetings with KID. No doubt he'd keep pestering her until he could meet the "Great Magician" himself, spouting some nonsense about the "bond between artists" and all that.

Akako Koizumi was a friend of hers and Kaito's (Keiko couldn't stand her) and spent a lot of time in their class (she belonged to another classroom). She was a transfer student, like Hakuba, and incredibly mature with a beautiful face and figure. All the boys were in love with her. Well, all except Kaito and Hakuba. Akako knew all about things like curses and spells and fortunes. Aoko was sure she probably had quite the flourishing business with their female peers.

When she entered Akako's classroom, she found her where she usually was, sitting on her desk, surrounded by her flocks of male admirers.

"Hey, Akako-chan? Could I talk to you for a moment? Privately?" There was a flicker of recognition in Akako's eyes and the girl jumped down, landing gracefully, Aoko noted admiringly. Being near Akako-chan was always a hit to the ego.

"Wait here," Akako called over her shoulder to the boys and she walked out into the hallway with Aoko.

Alone with Akaki-chan, Aoko suddenly felt a little nervous, "What I- What I wanted to say was-"

"You want to know about KID, right?" Akako stated in a bored tone as she inspected her manicured nails. They were perfect, as usual.

"H-how did you know?"

"Lucifer told me expect you."

"L-lucifer?!" Aoko echoed, startled. Akako was unfazed. She was used to similar reactions.

"Anyway, I can't help you."

"Why not?"

"I don't work charity cases. And you don't have anything of particular interest to me."

"Please?! I _really_ need this. I'll give you _anything_ you want, just please help me!"

Akako stroked her cheek, thinking, "Hmmm. Anything? That sounds . . . appealing. Do you _really_ mean _anything_?"

"Yes, yes! _Anything_, just name it!" Aoko pleaded.

Akako caved. "Oh, alright. I'll tell KID's fortune for you in return for one favor that I'm allowed to collect at _any_ time. But one fortune is all that it's going buy you. It might not even tell you anything useful. If you want anything more than that, you'll have to pay more. Agreed?"

Aoko gulped, registering this. But she was determined. She nodded her head eagerly. "Yes!"

"Good. Stop by the school tomorrow morning around 11. We'll meet then. Now, if you'll excuse me, my "slaves" are waiting. HOHOHO!!"

As Aoko walked back to class she couldn't help but wonder, was Akako related to Santa Claus?

~Scene 3 – Sometime After School – Nakamori Household~

Aoko yawned, bored. She had finished her homework and while she had the whole weekend to look forward to, she just wasn't excited about it. It was just one of those day. She felt kind of hungry but was even feeling too lazy to actually make herself a snack.

Yawning again, she turned her head, glancing around the room, her eyes unfocused. They fell on her computer, an old model collecting dust. She hadn't been online in quite awhile. She turned it on and waited for it to boot up. She was even too bored to complain about the wait.

As soon as she was online, she received a notice that she had 3 new emails. Curious, she clicked on her inbox. The first two were spam, but the third email was from an online store shop that sold magical items. She had heard about it from Akako-chan.

Aoko had bought a voodoo doll intending to use it to get back at Kaito for all the skirt flips. The package had arrived the week before, but Aoko had been so worked up over KID's heists that she had forgotten all about it. The email was asked her to confirm the delivery. Aoko typed a quick response and sent it, before signing off.

She retrieved the package from where it had been collecting under her bad and opened it. Inside lay a straw doll. The instructions said that it needed something belonging to the person to work. She was just thinking this over when the phone rang.

She anwswered the phone, "Hello. This is the Nakamori residence. Who is calling?"

"Hey," came Kaito's voice from the other end, "You forgot something."

She had? "I did?"

"Think hard." His answer was full of agitation that made realization dawn on her.

"Oh! I forgot to untie you! . . . Sorry. It slipped my mind . . . Hey, how _did_ you get free?" She really did feel sorry. Maybe she'd put off using the voodoo doll to make it up to him.

"I true magician never reveals his secrets!."

". . ."

"Fine! . . . A janitor found me tied up in the closet foaming at the mouth. At first he thought I was a psychopath, but then recognized me from my uniform."

The thought of how ridiculous he must have looked was too much for Aoko and she burst into laughter. For once the all-mighty Kaito Kuroba had gotten a piece of his own medicine.

"I'm glad one of us is amused . . . Anyway, are you free tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Umm . . . "

She raked her mind for some kind of excuse. Aoko couldn't exactly say, "Sorry, I'm meeting your idol, that stupid Kaitou KID then. Maybe next time?"

"Sorry, I can't. I'm busy. How about Sunday?"

"Busy?" he sounded confused, as if the possibility had never occurred to him, "With what? And Sunday is fine too."

"I've got-I'm staying the night at Keiko's." Hopefully he'd buy that. "So what do you have in mind?"

"It's been awhile since we hung out, just the two of us. I figured we'd go see a movie, but since it's Sunday, why don't we go watch the soccer game?"

Could it be . . . Could it be that he was trying to ask her on a . . . date? A _real_ one this time? She took the thought off. Aoko had thought she had gotten over Kaito. It wasn't worth it to get her hopes up. Besides, the soccer game sounded like fun.

"Sure. Let's do that. Who are we playing against?" Their school team wasn't the best in the district; that honor belonged to Jonan High School, but they were definitely one of the better teams out there.

"Beika High School. When do you want to meet up?" Her heart sped up a little at a name.

"About half an hour before it starts. I'll pack lunch and we can have a picnic." She wanted to get there early so they would be able to get good seats. The bleachers filled up very fast.

"Great. Then be there by noon."

She felt that he was about to hang up, but stopped him with the question, "Kaito, do you remember the last time we had a picnic?"

It had been the spring before the summer their parents had died. Aoko's mother had come home from the hospital for a visit. The two families had spent it together.

"Don't remind me! I went through fishie hell for your stupid bear, and that's all I remember," came his voice, distressed with the memories of fins and bulging eyes and scales, "And what was an almost 9 year old doing, carrying a stuffed toy around anyway?"

While they had been playing, Aoko had dropped her favorite teddy bear, Kuma-chan, in a river (one full of fish, of course). Kaito had dived in after it, dead white when Toichi had pulled him out. Aoko learn until a few years later that that frightening appearance had been the courtesy of a few friendly fishies.

"Don't insult Kuma-chan! Come to think of it, why _did_ you go after him? _You_ thought he was childish . . ."

"He _is_ childish."

Aoko's mop hand itched. Maybe she _would_ use the voodoo doll on him as planned.

"Anyway," Kaito continued, "I couldn't just let him float away. You took him _everywhere_. He was important to you."

"But he wasn't important to you." She pointed out.

"Kuma-chan may not have been important to me, but _you_ are." He explained.

Aoko blushed. This was unusually sweet for Kaito. He wasn't normally this . . . open. "I am?" She knew she was, after all, Kaito didn't have many friends as close as her, but it felt nice to hear just the same.

"Of course you are. You are one of the most important people in the world to me. Anway, I have to go now. Mom's calling for me." Aoko faintly heard his mother's voice call out, "No, I didn't!" Kaito coughed loudly, presumably to cover up his mother's objections "See you tomorrow at noon, Aoko. Bye." And then she only heard the soft click that told her he had hung up.

Aoko put down the phone and leaned back in her chair.. She didn't know what to do or what to think about Kaito anymore. There were moments like this once where he was really . . . good. However, they were fewer than she would have liked and definitely not enough to give her any real hope. Mostly, she stayed to flipping her skit and insulting her femininity.

While Aoko knew that they could never progress past "just friends," she couldn't push him away and draw lines, because, secretly, she was thrilled to have what little she did.

Quietly, she put the star doll back in its box and slipped the lid back on. She'd leave it for another day.

M.P-chan: One more thing -

Much thanks to tori99, Gestapo, shinichi726, Crippledfalcon, and Hainekko for their reviews, favs, and support on

And thanks to AirDragon717, 66ButterflyOfDarkness99, hattergems, WolfDaughter, ApathyCX, Tails77, and katiesparks (I LOVE your stories by the way; please update Velocity soon!) for their reviews and support here on ! All of your reviews are what kept me writing this chapter over the last year!

And of course, extra special thanks to the following:

xShinran - for all the time she puts into reading my stuff and giving me honest feedback and not being afraid to tell me when my writing could be better

M.A.D. – for all of his patience and taking especially good care of the stories that he edits for me. Enjoy your freedom now, I plan on putting you to work again real soon! ; )

Marie9 – for sharing with me, all the frustrations of writing, blocks, and rabid plunnies. Keep up your OUTSTANDING fanfiction. They are truly one of a kind, and I'm looking forward to updates for Kaidan and Muzai.

And last up not least,

Chocolately Taste / Kirite – for fangirling with me, and helping me stay motivated! If I were to write something outstanding, would you draw it for me?

And to everyone else, you can expect more Nocturne (and other goodies) from me in the future real soon!


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